


Moffat Appreciation Day: Platonic/Non-romantic Relationships

by impossiblyeclecticduck (3ImpossiblyEclecticDuck6)



Series: Doctor Who (2005 - 2017) Meta [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fanwork Research & Reference Guides, Gen, Meta, Other, Steven Moffat Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 00:25:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3ImpossiblyEclecticDuck6/pseuds/impossiblyeclecticduck
Summary: There are some exquisite romances in Doctor Who, the Doctor with Rose Tyler and the Doctor with River Song being two big examples. But one of the Moffat era features that I value the most is the way friendships are portrayed.





	Moffat Appreciation Day: Platonic/Non-romantic Relationships

**Author's Note:**

> First posted on Tumblr on November 18, 2017 - Steven Moffat's 56th birthday - for Moffat Appreciation Day, hosted by @moffatappreciationlife. Gathered a total of 143 notes there. The original post had .gif images that were important to the post, but since I can't get the GIFs to work here, I'll remove them and post the meta in a slightly different format.

> It has all the spark and joy of a non-romantic romance. Do you know what I mean by that? When you meet somebody who really does become incredibly close to you and it has an awful lot of what a romance has, except it doesn’t have any sex or romance in it. […] When you meet the people in your life who do become your great teachers, you do have a different sort of crush on them. As I say, it’s not an erotic one. It’s a fascination. It’s a joy in their company. It’s meeting someone who opens new doors to you. That’s a good relationship to model the Doctor and his best pal on.
> 
> \- **Steven Moffat** [[x](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tvguide.com%2Fnews%2Fdoctor-who-thin-ice-postmortem-steven-moffat%2F&t=ODAwNDQzNDIxOGM5ODZkMjhhMWNjYTllMzc2OThhYTdhOTlkZjBmYixpeERFUUhsWQ%3D%3D&b=t%3A1JZQXoiV7KwXLpPp0p_fiw&p=http%3A%2F%2Fimpossiblyeclecticduck.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F167613021141%2Fyou-do-have-a-different-sort-of-crush-on-them&m=1)] [[x](http://abumblebeeat221b.tumblr.com/post/160483778409/it-has-all-the-spark-and-joy-of-a-non-romantic)]

There are some exquisite romances in _Doctor Who_ , the Doctor with Rose Tyler and the Doctor with River Song being two big examples. But the Moffat era feature that I value possibly the most is the way **friendships** are portrayed. Pure friendships, with little to no overt romance, but nevertheless, relationships so transforming and magnetic that it surprises many. Sometimes, even the characters within the relationship are shocked by it. It points out how relationships are often more fluid than thought, and how love is truly incalculable - bringing up stories of **asexual and aromantic relationships**.

> Steven Moffat - as a writer and as someone who has clearly experienced deep friendship himself (descibing Mark Gatiss as someone who he “[should have married](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5vwIFF4R1RM&t=YTQzZjgxYjIzNjY4ZTI1MTk2ZTc1MTQ5MWUyNWJjYWQ2YzVkNGIwMixpT2Q2QlNGaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AEu34CsQ4x3wybIA05kZ6hQ&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftillthenexttimedoctor.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F160510058537%2Fit-has-all-the-spark-and-joy-of-a-non-romantic&m=0)”) - seems to have a well-developed grasp of the concepts of **[squishes](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.urbandictionary.com%2Fdefine.php%3Fterm%3Dsquish&t=YWZkZTJjNTE0YjhkOTE0YWQ2YmM3MGQxNzNhZmM5M2RhOTY3Y2UyZCxpT2Q2QlNGaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AEu34CsQ4x3wybIA05kZ6hQ&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftillthenexttimedoctor.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F160506511562%2Fit-has-all-the-spark-and-joy-of-a-non-romantic&m=0)** and **[queerplatonic relationships](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Faromantic.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FQueerplatonic&t=YTQ5MDM4ZjRlMTJjZmNlZjMzZWRlN2QzYmE4NTYyY2RjM2I2NzA2OSxpT2Q2QlNGaA%3D%3D&b=t%3AEu34CsQ4x3wybIA05kZ6hQ&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftillthenexttimedoctor.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F160506511562%2Fit-has-all-the-spark-and-joy-of-a-non-romantic&m=0)** , although I highly doubt he is actually familiar with modern aro/ace terminology. …
> 
> Moffat’s fictional platonic relationships are incredibly varied as well. Amy and the Doctor, who just _recognise each other_ and eventually develop an almost familial bond. Clara and the Doctor, in all their complicated, messy extremes. And now Bill and the Doctor, joyful and eye-opening, full of lessons and respect. What these friendships have in common is just how _vivid_ they are. 
> 
> He gets, like few others, just how formative and complex friendship can be. The spark of two people drawn to each other. And this quote, in particular, really expresses that.
> 
> \- [@tillthenexttimedoctor](https://tmblr.co/mjHMaATdwio5_BnM6zyUnIQ) on this quote [[+](http://tillthenexttimedoctor.tumblr.com/post/160510058537/it-has-all-the-spark-and-joy-of-a-non-romantic)]

From a more personal perspective, Moffat-era Doctor-companion friendships showed me that relationships of the kind I want in life, and that I feel comfortable in, are totally possible. It showed me that the kind of love I want is not inhuman, dangerous, or unfair. In fact, it’s as strong, fulfilling, and beautiful, as any other kind of love. For me, this will always be the unforgettable story - of love that needs no labels, no justifications, other than being itself, other than being love that shapes life and death.


End file.
